AR 15 Build- School me

[Swamprat]

49 minutes ago, tcook8296 said:

I didnt buy the trigger yet.

 

My bad.  That cmc box says complete kit. I thought most complete lpk had a trigger in them. 

[Tier1]

I've built a pile of them, both for fun and professional use...(armorer, marksmanship instructor, trigger puller, door kicker & call of duty player,  in a former life)... unfortunately they all fell off my boat during an unavoidable boating accident.

You did good going with the Areo Precision upper and lower. Great company and make great products !

what's the primary usage for the rifle, purpose, and typical engagement ranges ?  This will sort of dictate caliber, barrel type, barrel length, trigger, and Bolt carrier group.

I'd be willing to bet, more or less something for fun, just general plinking and perhaps home defense. I'd also bet, your going standard rifle, and not looking to do additional paperwork and go the SBR (short barrelled rifle) or pistol / pistol brace route.

So for barrel length you'll need to be at 16" minimum, you could go 14.5" add a 1.5" muzzle break, however the muzzle break then needs to be permanently attached in order to be considered part of the barrel to make it 16" total barrel length.  ATF has specific criteria as to what attachment methods make it permanent. Pinned and welded, fully welded, or silver soldered. If I remember correctly those are the only three methods recognised by the ATF.  

For the muzzle device to be NJ compliant, NJ only states permanently attached, however they do not specify what permanent is, like the ATF does.  So you would need to go 16" barrel, then add muzzle device and Pin it, technically you could JB weld it and it would still be considered permanent for NJ.

16" government profile barrel, would suit ya fine, still good manoeuvrability for tight quarters in the house, and very good accuracy at moderate distances. Hell I've shot issued M4's with 14.5" barrels out to 600 yds and shot MOM (minute of man) with issued ammunition and ACOG with out problem.

Caliber, keep it simple and go 5.56, this will allow you to shoot both 5.56 and .223....Just don't go the other way around, and try and shoot 5.56 nato out of a rifle chambered in .223   (223 Wylde you can shoot either or)  the Wylde will give you a bit more accuracy as the chamber is reamed a wee bit tighter then 5.56, but not as tight as the .223 however, sometimes having that little bit of sloppyness in the chamber of the 5.56 gives you a bit more reliability in mud,dirt,and sand...I've operated these weapons from negative 40 in an arctic environment, to a 130 degrees in the shade in Iraq, among a bunch of other shitty environments around the world.

Barrel twist a few options here, again depends on the purpose of the rifle and use. 

1:7 - suited for heavier projectiles up to 62 -75 grains and heavier, more suited for longer ranges, as the heavier bullets retain more energy at distance and do better in wind at longer distance. Mil Spec is 1:7 primarily to stabilize tracer rounds and 77gr MK262 ammuntion   

1:8 - 55 - 62 grain projectiles this is the most common twist rate for most AR platforms 

1:9 - for lighter bullets 40-55 grains

Aero Precision makes great barrels, as does Ballistic Advantage they are one in the same, Ballistic Advantage operates under Aero Precision umbrella

BCM - Bravo Company USA also makes great barrels 

So in a nut shell, sitck with a 16" gov profile barrel, chambered in 5.56 with a 1:8 twist and you'll be good to go.

Triggers, there are a gazzilionon of them, Two stage or Single stage...Thats sort of purpose driven, but also shooter preference. For longer range stuff I prefer a single stage set super light, for a duty type rifle I like a two stage thats a bit more on the heavy side.

For a first build, you'd be better off with a casset type trigger (means all the parts and pieces are contained, and it's just a drop in single package and very simple to do)  CMMG, CMC, BCM, Timmney, Gissele all good to go

Buffer tube, buffer spring, and buffer, there are a pile of them as well, just stick with Aero to keep it simple...Differences are mild between most of them, and unless doing specialized stuff you'll be fine with mil-spec...Just check the stock you got and see if its a mil spec or commercial butt stock. Mil spec is slightly larger in diameter. So you want to be sure your but stock will slide over the butter tube. Also for NJ compliant you'll need to pin the stock so it can't be adjusted because having an adjustable stock is evil and you'll go directly to hell

BCG - Bolt Carrier Group again a pile of them, Ive always used BCM or Aero for the most part. Never any issues. Just get something easy to clean it worth it. Mil spec parkerized are a pain in the ass to get clean

Hand Guard - you mine as well stick with Aero, again they make great stuff, and it'll be easier to match the color if that is of a concern to ya...If your going to add light, laser, BUIS, sling or any other G-Wiz stuff just look for a lot of attachment points and real estate....Also depends on how you grip the front of the rifle, standard grip, or over the top C-clamp can dictate what feels better, same with hand size

Gas tube and gas block - just make sure you match the gas tube length to your barrel, carbine, mid length, rifle...If you go 16" you'll need a mid length gas tube length, carbine length can also work. Barrel manufacture will specify what one you'll need for the barrel you get from them

Gas block, if the hand guard is going to cover the gas block you'll need a low profile gas black. The hand guard you get will determine what gas black you'll need. That should be specified by the manufacture as to what size works. Same with your barrel diameter or profile, Government profile will use a 0.750"   I've always used Odin Works  never any issues with them. You can go standard and don't need an adjustable gas block, primarily if your shooting factory ammo and not looking to get to sexy with it

In regards to the barrel, check and see if the barrel is dimpled for the gas block, if not you'll want to get a jig to dimple the holes for the gas block...You can do it with out, but a jig makes life easier...You can also go with a clamp on style gas block, they do have some down sides but way easy to install

Lining the gas port up on the barrel with the gas block can be tricky, There are some tricks to the trade and hit me up when you get to that point, I can walk ya through it if you run into problems.

Also in regards to the hand guard, just check and see what sort of barrel nut comes with it, some manufactures you'll need a propitiatory wrench to tighten the barrel nut down.  You'll also need a torque wrench when tightening the barrel nut down, you'll wanna be around 35 ft pounds, barrel manufacture will provide the specs.

Well I could go on and on about this, esp if ya want to get super sexy...But for the basics that should help, depending on where your from, I'm always willing to help if ya get in a bind, especially if you need any speciality tools to make life simpler....You can do it all with a pair of Vice-Grips and some Duct tape, but some of the tools come in handy and make life simpler.  Feel free to hit me up

 

 

 

Edited February 18 by Tier1
typo

[tcook8296]

2 hours ago, Tier1 said:

I've built a pile of them, both for fun and professional use...(armorer, marksmanship instructor, trigger puller, door kicker & call of duty player,  in a former life)... unfortunately they all fell off my boat during an unavoidable boating accident.

You did good going with the Areo Precision upper and lower. Great company and make great products !

what's the primary usage for the rifle, purpose, and typical engagement ranges ?  This will sort of dictate caliber, barrel type, barrel length, trigger, and Bolt carrier group.

I'd be willing to bet, more or less something for fun, just general plinking and perhaps home defense. I'd also bet, your going standard rifle, and not looking to do additional paperwork and go the SBR (short barrelled rifle) or pistol / pistol brace route.

So for barrel length you'll need to be at 16" minimum, you could go 14.5" add a 1.5" muzzle break, however the muzzle break then needs to be permanently attached in order to be considered part of the barrel to make it 16" total barrel length.  ATF has specific criteria as to what attachment methods make it permanent. Pinned and welded, fully welded, or silver soldered. If I remember correctly those are the only three methods recognised by the ATF.  

For the muzzle device to be NJ compliant, NJ only states permanently attached, however they do not specify what permanent is, like the ATF does.  So you would need to go 16" barrel, then add muzzle device and Pin it, technically you could JB weld it and it would still be considered permanent for NJ.

16" government profile barrel, would suit ya fine, still good manoeuvrability for tight quarters in the house, and very good accuracy at moderate distances. Hell I've shot issued M4's with 14.5" barrels out to 600 yds and shot MOM (minute of man) with issued ammunition and ACOG with out problem.

Caliber, keep it simple and go 5.56, this will allow you to shoot both 5.56 and .223....Just don't go the other way around, and try and shoot 5.56 nato out of a rifle chambered in .223   (223 Wylde you can shoot either or)  the Wylde will give you a bit more accuracy as the chamber is reamed a wee bit tighter then 5.56, but not as tight as the .223 however, sometimes having that little bit of sloppyness in the chamber of the 5.56 gives you a bit more reliability in mud,dirt,and sand...I've operated these weapons from negative 40 in an arctic environment, to a 130 degrees in the shade in Iraq, among a bunch of other shitty environments around the world.

Barrel twist a few options here, again depends on the purpose of the rifle and use. 

1:7 - suited for heavier projectiles up to 62 -75 grains and heavier, more suited for longer ranges, as the heavier bullets retain more energy at distance and do better in wind at longer distance. Mil Spec is 1:7 primarily to stabilize tracer rounds and 77gr MK262 ammuntion   

1:8 - 55 - 62 grain projectiles this is the most common twist rate for most AR platforms 

1:9 - for lighter bullets 40-55 grains

Aero Precision makes great barrels, as does Ballistic Advantage they are one in the same, Ballistic Advantage operates under Aero Precision umbrella

BCM - Bravo Company USA also makes great barrels 

So in a nut shell, sitck with a 16" gov profile barrel, chambered in 5.56 with a 1:8 twist and you'll be good to go.

Triggers, there are a gazzilionon of them, Two stage or Single stage...Thats sort of purpose driven, but also shooter preference. For longer range stuff I prefer a single stage set super light, for a duty type rifle I like a two stage thats a bit more on the heavy side.

For a first build, you'd be better off with a casset type trigger (means all the parts and pieces are contained, and it's just a drop in single package and very simple to do)  CMMG, CMC, BCM, Timmney, Gissele all good to go

Buffer tube, buffer spring, and buffer, there are a pile of them as well, just stick with Aero to keep it simple...Differences are mild between most of them, and unless doing specialized stuff you'll be fine with mil-spec...Just check the stock you got and see if its a mil spec or commercial butt stock. Mil spec is slightly larger in diameter. So you want to be sure your but stock will slide over the butter tube. Also for NJ compliant you'll need to pin the stock so it can't be adjusted because having an adjustable stock is evil and you'll go directly to hell

BCG - Bolt Carrier Group again a pile of them, Ive always used BCM or Aero for the most part. Never any issues. Just get something easy to clean it worth it. Mil spec parkerized are a pain in the ass to get clean

Hand Guard - you mine as well stick with Aero, again they make great stuff, and it'll be easier to match the color if that is of a concern to ya...If your going to add light, laser, BUIS, sling or any other G-Wiz stuff just look for a lot of attachment points and real estate....Also depends on how you grip the front of the rifle, standard grip, or over the top C-clamp can dictate what feels better, same with hand size

Gas tube and gas block - just make sure you match the gas tube length to your barrel, carbine, mid length, rifle...If you go 16" you'll need a mid length gas tube length, carbine length can also work. Barrel manufacture will specify what one you'll need for the barrel you get from them

Gas block, if the hand guard is going to cover the gas block you'll need a low profile gas black. The hand guard you get will determine what gas black you'll need. That should be specified by the manufacture as to what size works. Same with your barrel diameter or profile, Government profile will use a 0.750"   I've always used Odin Works  never any issues with them. You can go standard and don't need an adjustable gas block, primarily if your shooting factory ammo and not looking to get to sexy with it

In regards to the barrel, check and see if the barrel is dimpled for the gas block, if not you'll want to get a jig to dimple the holes for the gas block...You can do it with out, but a jig makes life easier...You can also go with a clamp on style gas block, they do have some down sides but way easy to install

Lining the gas port up on the barrel with the gas block can be tricky, There are some tricks to the trade and hit me up when you get to that point, I can walk ya through it if you run into problems.

Also in regards to the hand guard, just check and see what sort of barrel nut comes with it, some manufactures you'll need a propitiatory wrench to tighten the barrel nut down.  You'll also need a torque wrench when tightening the barrel nut down, you'll wanna be around 35 ft pounds, barrel manufacture will provide the specs.

Well I could go on and on about this, esp if ya want to get super sexy...But for the basics that should help, depending on where your from, I'm always willing to help if ya get in a bind, especially if you need any speciality tools to make life simpler....You can do it all with a pair of Vice-Grips and some Duct tape, but some of the tools come in handy and make life simpler.  Feel free to hit me up

 

 

 

Lol you must have been up all night typing that. 

You would think all the ARS laying on the bottom of the ocean I would have caught one by now 😆 

[BothBarrels]

Concerning that video series from Brownell's I posted earlier , when my 3 sons were teens, I had them build their own ARs .... only because it's the rifle platform that you can completely build and they could learn. The Brownell series did a great job explaining all the parts and the assembly of the gun to them. I just watched them build their own rifles.

We built our uppers, not bought them. Put a piston kit in one rifles just for the heck of it. Great learning experience.

[Mr12gauge]

The first thing I would buy is a vise block. Working on the rifle is a whole lot easier when it can't move.

[tcook8296]

I want to order a buffer tube kit. 

What should I be looking for or can someone recommend one ?

[Tier1]

https://www.wingtactical.com/firearm-parts/ar-15-parts/buffer-buffer-tubes/aero-precision-mil-spec-carbine-buffer-tube-kit/

 

go with the standard weighted buffer (H1)   it'll do ya just fine, unless your running a 14.5" or shorter barrel, then you might need to go a little heavier.

[Tier1]

Just check what butt stock you have,  it'll be sized either mil spec or commercial...there's a difference in diameter 

[tcook8296]

1 hour ago, Tier1 said:

https://www.wingtactical.com/firearm-parts/ar-15-parts/buffer-buffer-tubes/aero-precision-mil-spec-carbine-buffer-tube-kit/

 

go with the standard weighted buffer (H1)   it'll do ya just fine, unless your running a 14.5" or shorter barrel, then you might need to go a little heavier.

Thanks, I just ordered the one you recommended. I had been looking at that one but was unsure of the weight.

Mil spec stock

[Tier1]

take a look at some youtube videos about how to stake the castlenut...not hard or complex at all, you're just going to need a center punch and hammer. but its something that people often overlook 

[tcook8296]

Bought the Aero precision buffer tube kit. 

Now I need a trigger recommendation

[Swamprat]

Rock river or Gisseille (not sure of spelling). 

[username]

Until Jewell makes a trigger, get a Timney. 

Edited March 14 by username